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2024 Green Bay Packers mock draft: Loading up on the defensive side

Published Apr. 18, 2024 1:16 p.m. ET

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Carmen Vitali

NFC North Reporter

The Green Bay Packers have so many picks in this year's NFL Draft.

Like. So many.

They have 11 in total, including five in the top 100. What's more, Green Bay is already the youngest team in the NFL given how well they've drafted in the past. They don't have a ton of needs, either. The roster in its current iteration made it to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs and beat the doors off the Dallas Cowboys at their place in the process. The young offensive core is growing with quarterback Jordan Love, and the defense is looking to match the offense's production with a new defensive coordinator in town.

The Packers defense has seven first-round picks now under the direction of Jeff Hafley. They got their blue-chip safety in Xavier McKinney in free agency. Spoiler alert, they have one more need on that side of the ball, and they make it eight first-round picks in my best-case scenario seven-round mock.

This isn't necessarily predictive, but answers most of the questions the Packers still have.

Packers original picks: 25, 41, 58, 88, 91, 126, 169, 202, 219, 245, 255.

Round 1 (No. 25): DT Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois

Newton might not be the obvious choice, but since when have the Packers ever taken the obvious in the first round? I was tempted to address the offensive line here but didn't like the value of what was on the board with a guy like Graham Barton long gone. With Newton, Green Bay is getting a true three-technique, which is crucial in Hafley's 4-3 scheme — a scheme the Packers haven't operated in for a decade and a half.

Round 2 (No. 37 via projected trade with LAC): LB Peyton Wilson, NC State

But Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie. Yes. However, some rotation couldn't hurt and Wilson was ripe for the taking for the asking price of a third and seventh-round pick. It's OK, Green Bay has more of each of those. Wilson will help ease the scheme transition alongside Walker and McDuffie, just don't get him confused with linebacker Eric Wilson, too.

Round 2 (No. 58): OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU

Now we're getting to the good stuff with offensive line help. All of these picks give the Packers flexibility to pull off a trade like they just did above to get some good offensive line help if they need to. I don't have that being the case here but that's something to keep in mind. I'd be shocked if the Packers make all 11 of their picks but later-round trades are harder to predict. With this, Suamataia falls to them later on in the second round. The BYU tackle has started at both right and left tackle and at 6-foot-4, 326 pounds, could probably kick inside if need be. He'll provide some competition for the likes of Rasheed Walker at worst and see if he can fit into the best five.

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Round 3 (No. 91): S Tyler Nubin, Minnesota

Yes, the Packers just got McKinney as we talked about above, but that doesn't prevent them from needing depth. Getting Nubin in the third round is excellent value given how good he is in run support on top of his vision and awareness. The Chicagoland native is also probably already familiar with Green Bay, so playing into the rivalry will be easy, too — especially when it seems the Bears are ready to actually compete.

Round 4 (No. 126): C Tanor Bartolini, Wisconsin

More offensive line help. I think Bartolini could go even higher than this and don't think we're talking about his pro potential enough. Josh Myers has done well for Green Bay manning the center spot but again, the Packers have shown they aren't scared when it comes to figuring out their strongest front five on offense. They'll switch guys around and add competition wherever they need to, and I think Bartolini would compete.

Round 5: (No. 169): DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU

Again, we're going for value in the later rounds and though Wingo isn't in the main conversation even within a lackluster defensive class, the eye test will tell you he's a mauler. Wingo was incredibly physical up front for the LSU Tigers, though the rest of the defense didn't quite follow suit. Hafley will need a good rotation up front for all of his even fronts and Wingo can certainly come in relief for a few snaps of the guys ahead of him.

Round 6 (No. 202): CB Josh Newton, TCU

The Packers have a tremendous secondary and great corner depth, but do you know how you keep that corner depth good? You keep adding to it. 

Round 6 (No. 219): EDGE Nelson Ceaser, Houston

Edge isn't a need but I could also see the Packers addressing the position much earlier than this, too. Ceaser provides some good special teams skills with the two field goals he blocked in college. 

Round 7 (No. 255): K Cam Little, Arkansas

It's your last pick, why not? Green Bay wasn't immune to some kicking woes with youngster Anders Carlson and this is just a way to get some competition in there alongside the veteran they brought in with Greg Joseph to settle the kicker debate once and for all. How much do you really need the last of your (original) 11 picks?

Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.

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Carmen Vitali